Physiological effects of methyl alcohol on the human body. What happens if you drink methyl alcohol - why is it dangerous? The effect of methanol when inhaling its vapors

(2 ratings, average: 1,00 out of 5)

Poisoning people with methyl alcohol leads to disability at best, and death at worst. People who are accustomed to cheap surrogate alcohol are at risk. But no one is safe from purchasing such liquid under the guise of expensive elite alcohol in a specialized store. Therefore, it is necessary to know the symptoms of poisoning and what to do in this case.

What is methanol? Methanol is a colorless, volatile substance that has a sharp and pungent taste, an odor reminiscent of wine, and is classified as a poisonous drug.

Properties of methanol:

• perfectly soluble in water;
• highly flammable;
• upon contact with air, forms an explosive mixture;
• mixes well with ethyl alcohol and any organic solvent.

Knowing Chemical properties Methyl alcohol is used as a solvent for many substances. Therefore, the use of methanol and ethanol for the production of glass and mirror cleaners and “anti-freeze” products is quite widespread. They are part of motor fuel as antifreeze or increase the octane number. Methanol and ethanol are widely used as independent fuels in internal combustion engines.

Methanol is widely used in the manufacture of paints and solvents. The use of methanol and ethanol in the chemical, perfumery, and also pharmaceutical industry quite wide.

Methyl or wood alcohol is a technical substance that has the properties of a drug and poison. Poisoning with it has the most serious consequences for humans.

Impact on the body

The effect of methanol on the human body can be noticed one hour after ingestion. In exceptional cases, this process can take up to 36 hours. The substance is instantly absorbed in the stomach and small intestine, but the processing process is slow. The toxic effect inside the body is associated with the formation of the strongest poison - formaldehyde and formic acid. Complete cleansing of the body from poison occurs after 7 days.

When methyl alcohol is consumed at short intervals into the body, it accumulates and a lethal dose is reached.

Methanol is a poison that affects the nervous and circulatory system person. It is excreted through breathing and after processing by the liver in urine.

The consumption of methanol by people is reduced to a violation internal processes which lead to lack of oxygen and acidosis. What provokes a deficiency of vitamins B1, C and, as a result, intoxication of the whole body increases.

Inhalation of vapors and the effects of methanol on vision

Methanol vapors, when ingested through the lungs, affect the body in two stages: entry and irritation of the mucous membrane, then the poison enters the human circulatory system.

Menthol causes systemic poisoning of the body, as the vapors are toxic and have a pungent odor. The person experiences: dizziness, blurred vision, nausea.

The appearance of pain in the right hypochondrium is noted, visual acuity drops sharply. The antidote in this case is ethanol. The antidote is administered intravenously or perinatally.

As soon as methanol enters the body, it immediately has a detrimental effect on optic nerve and the retina of the eye. These processes are directly related to metabolism, which blocks the intake nutrients to the organ of vision. And also menthol vapors, which have a pungent odor, irritate the mucous membrane of the eye, which causes inflammation, swelling and pain. Only the antidote – ethanol – will reduce the effects of the poison.

Ingestion of methyl alcohol

Direct ingestion of methyl alcohol into the body leads to poisoning. 10 ml of this substance is dangerous, but if the amount of liquid increases to 30 ml it can be fatal. However, this reaction of the body is not observed in everyone.

Symptoms of poisoning:

• blue discoloration or cyanosis;
• convulsions;
• deep and rare breathing;
• cardiopalmus;
• the pupils of the eyes do not react to light.

Death occurs mainly due to respiratory arrest. While a person is sane, he complains of stomach pain and goosebumps before his eyes. In all cases, the negative processes that begin in the liver become irreversible.

First aid for poisoning

In case of poisoning, it is necessary to perform a number of procedures that will remove or stop the reaction of methanol metabolism in the body:

The antidote for methyl alcohol is ethanol. It neutralizes the effect of the poison, breaking it down and promoting rapid elimination from the body.

Methanol and ethanol

How to distinguish methanol from ethanol? This question worries many:

1. Determine by appearance what kind of alcohol is impossible. The use of methanol and ethanol in these cases must be suspended. To figure out what kind of alcohol you need to set it on fire. Methanol will light up with a green flame, and ethanol with a blue flame.
2. Immersing peeled potatoes in liquid will give results in a couple of hours. Potatoes will not change in medical alcohol, but in methyl alcohol they will turn pink.
3. You can distinguish using copper wire. It is heated over a fire and immersed in alcohol. Methyl alcohol will give off an unpleasant, pungent odor, while ethyl alcohol will have a faint odor of apples or no odor at all.
4. In addition to copper wire, it is allowed to use cotton wool. It is moistened with liquid, set on fire and immediately extinguished. The odor emitted determines whether it belongs to alcohol.

Methanol is a toxic substance that, when it enters the body, triggers irreversible processes. A person can completely lose vision; it has a negative effect on everything internal organs, nervous and vascular system person. Therefore, at the first signs of poisoning, you should immediately consult a doctor.

The effect of methyl alcohol on the body. Ways to distinguish methyl and ethyl alcohol.

Many people have mixed feelings about alcohol. Some people regularly drink alcohol, while others cannot tolerate them. There are plenty of alternative alcohol options. Now on store shelves there are a lot of different tinctures based on hawthorn, rowan and medicinal herbs.

Unknowing people may think that any alcohol can be consumed. But in reality this is wrong. After all, not all types of alcohol are alcohol; among alcohols there are a lot of poisons. You should not take methyl alcohol, as it is poisonous.

It is difficult to distinguish ethyl and methyl alcohol by taste and smell. They are practically indistinguishable and you will not even realize that you are drinking a fake. The taste and smell are the same as ethyl alcohol. Alcohol was produced using synthesis from hydrogen, but now this method is considered artisanal and is not used. The cheapest can be considered production from waste petroleum products.

Methanol is mainly used in the chemical industry. It is an auxiliary substance for the preparation of many solvents.

Scope of application of methyl alcohol:

• For the manufacture of solvents
• In the paint and varnish industry
• In the production of biodiesel from oils
• To combat hydrates in the gas industry

The fact is that 30-100 ml of methyl alcohol can lead to convulsions and even fatal outcome. Accordingly, you cannot make a mistake, as this is fraught with disastrous consequences. The alcohols taste and smell the same. A non-taste specialist will not be able to distinguish between these liquids.

Ways to test alcohol:

• Setting fire. Pour some liquid into a spoon and set it on fire. Ethyl alcohol will burn with a blue flame, and methyl alcohol will burn with a green flame.
• Potato test. Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces. Immerse one slice in ethanol and the other in methanol. If the slice turns pink, you have poison in front of you, that is, methyl alcohol. In alcohol, potatoes practically do not change color.
• Copper wire. Heat a piece of copper wire until black and dip it into the liquid. If you smell vinegar, then the alcohol is ethyl and you can drink it. If the smell is unpleasant, then it is methyl alcohol.

Below are the formulas of alcohols:

CH3OH – methyl alcohol

C2H5OH – ethyl alcohol

How to test ethyl or methyl alcohol in alcohol - vodka or moonshine, at home?

There are several ways to identify a fake:

• Baking soda. Add some liquid baking soda and watch the reaction. If there are impurities of methyl alcohol, the soda will dissolve completely. If the product good quality, then a yellow precipitate forms and the alcohol can be drunk.
• Potassium permanganate. Pour potassium permanganate into a container with liquid. If bubbles appear on the surface, it is methyl alcohol. If not, then ethyl.
• Boiling. This can be found out using a thermometer; the boiling point of ethanol is 78 °C, and methanol is 64 °C.

This method is also used to identify alcohol. Ethanol burns with a blue flame, and harmful methanol burns with a green flame.

This indicator reacts to changes in acidity. The most interesting thing is that methyl orange is made on the basis of methyl alcohol. Therefore, when introducing an indicator into methanol, nothing will change. The solution will be orange. Ethanol has an approximately neutral environment, so the color will not change significantly. The solution will be orange. Thus, it is impossible to distinguish these alcohols using an indicator.

Methyl alcohol is a very strong poison; it has a neuroparalytic effect. Approximately 30-100 ml of methanol causes severe poisoning and convulsions.

Symptoms of poisoning:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Salivation
• Impaired coordination of movements

To lose vision, it is enough to drink 10 ml, and to die, 30-100 ml.

Methyl alcohol, methanol - effects on the human body: first signs and symptoms of poisoning, lethal dose for humans

If you doubt the quality of alcohol, then do not drink it. But if you still couldn’t resist, watch your condition.

Manifestation of poisoning:

• Floaters before eyes
• Pressure surges
• Vomit
• Nausea
• Copious drool

In general, methanol accumulates in the body, so symptoms of poisoning may not appear immediately. On average, the effect of methanol manifests itself from 30 minutes to 3 days. And the saddest thing is that on the third day it gets worse, not better. You may notice loss of vision and infrequent urination. This means that the kidneys are not working well.

First emergency aid for poisoning with methyl alcohol, methanol

Urgent Care:

• Place the patient on their stomach if they are unconscious. This will help prevent suffocation
• Give a large amount of baking soda solution
• Induce vomiting in the patient
• Give the patient a laxative
• Call an ambulance

The most interesting thing is that the antidote is pure alcohol or good vodka. You need 50 g of vodka every 3 hours.

In fact, the consequences of poisoning are very sad. This may cause death or blindness.

Consequences:

• Loss of vision
• Kidney failure
• Dyspnea
• Convulsions
• Epilepsy
• Cirrhosis

Poisoning options from inhalation of vapors:

• Poisoning can occur due to contact of the substance with the skin when wiping the windshield. To prevent this from happening, you need to pour it into the car in a well-ventilated area using gloves.
• You can be poisoned by methanol chemical production. Methanol is also included in some paints, varnishes and solvents. Poisoning can occur if safety rules are not followed.
• And when painting or caring for a car (using chemicals), you must strictly follow safety rules.

Methyl alcohol tastes and smells little different from ethyl alcohol, so be careful and do not drink questionable alcoholic beverages.

VIDEO: Methyl alcohol

Methanol or methyl alcohol (CH3OH) is a colorless liquid that is highly soluble in water and has a sharp, pungent taste and a pungent, wine-like odor.

Methanol and its derivatives are used in the chemical, pharmaceutical and perfume industries for the processes of denaturation, methylation and extraction of substances. Its use is necessary for the production of paints and solvents. They can’t do without it and medical laboratories– he records blood smears.

Methyl (wood) alcohol is a technical monohydric alcohol and poses a danger to humans because it is a toxic narcotic substance with nervous and vascular effects. Of all possible intoxications obtained in domestic conditions, it is the most dangerous in its consequences.

How to identify methyl alcohol in alcohol

Technical alcohols are no different from food or medical alcohols. They all taste the same, are transparent, colorless and smell the same. If you have any suspicions, it is better to play it safe. You can distinguish, recognize or determine methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol in the following ways:

1. Using potatoes, a slice of raw peeled root vegetable dipped in methanol will definitely turn pink, but in drinking or medical alcohol there will be no color change. The disadvantage of this method is the time it takes for the reaction to manifest itself, at least 2-3 hours, so it is not very common.
2. By ignition, industrial alcohols burn with a green flame, and ethanol burns with a blue flame. Again, many people don't see much of a color difference in the color of a fire's flame.
3. Using a formaldehyde test. This is the most reliable way clarification of the nature of alcohol. A copper wire (required) heated until white over an open fire is dipped into the liquid. If a foreign smell appears, you are looking at a liquid that contains % methanol, you should not drink it. There is no point in taking risks; it is better to leave such a “drink” for technical use.

How to avoid poisoning?

Buy alcohol only in large retail chains or in “home” stores where you are well known. Its purchase in small unfamiliar stores, stalls or from private individuals can result in tragic consequences. Moreover, do not buy alcohol or alcoholic drinks, including low-alcohol drinks, if their price is below the established minimum.

How does methyl alcohol affect the human body?

Methyl alcohol can cause damage human body not only when entering the digestive tract, but also through the skin, and inhalation - through Airways. But, in the overwhelming majority of cases, intoxication occurs when, in order to achieve alcohol intoxication drink liquids containing it: denatured alcohols and polishes. Less often, when in the production of alcoholic beverages there is an erroneous or intentional substitution of ethyl alcohol with methyl alcohol.

How dangerous is methanol and how much of it is needed to get poisoned?

Once in the body, the poison is rapidly absorbed, accumulates cumulatively, and is excreted extremely slowly, up to 7 days. It is precisely due to its high cumulative characteristic that not only pure methyl alcohol is dangerous to life, but also liquids containing methanol in small quantities - up to 10%. Therefore, the use of methanol-containing substances to achieve alcohol intoxication is deadly. By the way, in technical ethyl alcohol the percentage of methanol ranges from 6 to 12%!

Severe consequences and loss of vision can occur if you drink only 5 or 10 ml of methanol. If you drink more, the outcome can be fatal.

The lethal dose depends on the individual sensitivity of the person, and is in the range between 30 and 100 ml. A person who drinks such a dose dies from respiratory arrest. At doses ranging from 200 ml and above, poisoning occurs at lightning speed, and death occurs within 2-3 hours.

When methyl alcohol gets ingested, the following processes occur in the body:

• 90% is metabolized in the liver tissue with the formation of highly toxic substances - formic acid and formaldehyde;
• violated acid-base balance and exogenous acidosis develops;
• the optic nerve is selectively affected - dystrophy, and the retina - detachment;
• acute oxygen deficiency develops;
• the work of the central nervous system is inhibited;
• suffers from urine excretory system, since 85% of the formed CH3OH metabolites are removed by the kidneys, and the remaining 15% through the lungs.

Signs of poisoning

Methanol poisoning can be acute or chronic. The most dangerous thing about this intoxication is that after use, symptoms may not appear immediately, but after some time, most often after 2-3 days.

Acute poisoning occurs after a few hours, in most cases after 8-10 hours. For mild degree Intoxication is characterized by the following signs:

• dizziness and headache;
• nausea, vomiting, cramping abdominal pain;
• the volume of the liver increases, pain is felt when pressing;
• pupils dilate and react sluggishly to bright light;
• the feeling of intoxication is absent or weakly expressed;
• vision begins to decline, flickering, veils, and bright spots appear in the eyes;
• possible redness of the proteins and hemorrhages in the retina;
• the skin and mucous membranes are bluish in color;
• possible fainting and pathology of pyramidal symptoms;
• coordination of movements is impaired;
• general weakness is noted against the background of motor excitation and increased tendon reflexes, pain throughout the body.

In case of severe methanol poisoning, the following symptoms are added:

• agitation and causeless aggression increase;
• the skin turns pale, and the lips, hands and feet turn blue;
• the pulse quickens and weakens, blood pressure drops;
• clouding of consciousness and disorientation occurs;
• vision decreases sharply, even to the point of blindness;
• sweat and urine smell like alcohol;
• convulsions of the limbs appear, followed by death.

With chronic damage, the following symptoms develop:

• lethargy, weakness, irritability, tearfulness;
• are plagued by headache and pain in the right hypochondrium;
• increased sweating develops;
• the eyelids and tongue begin to twitch;
• a pronounced trembling of the fingers appears;
• sleep becomes restless, short-lived, too sensitive;
• color perception decreases;
• short-term memory is impaired;
• Gastrointestinal disorders become common.

First aid for poisoning

If symptoms of acute methanol poisoning are detected, proceed as follows:

1. Call an ambulance.
2. Rinse the stomach thoroughly.
3. Ensure that you drink plenty of fluids and take alkaline solutions, such as soda solution.
4. Give a laxative, preferably saline.
5. Drink high-quality ethyl alcohol or strong alcoholic drink at the rate of 0.5 ml or 1 ml, respectively, per 1 kg of weight.

This last point is puzzling to many. The fact is that the antidote to methyl alcohol is ethyl alcohol. Since both of these substances, once in the body, affect the same receptors and enzymes, but the toxicity of ethyl is several times less, the use of high-quality alcohol as an antidote is quite justified.

Moreover, it should be used as early as possible, so you should not wait for the ambulance to arrive, but give the calculated dose to drink after all these procedures.

Treatment of methanol intoxication

Treatment in the neurological hospital will be carried out according to the following scheme:

• for 2-3 days - administration of the antidote orally or intravenously with glucose;
• normalization of water-salt balance and acid balance - intravenous glucose, subcutaneous isotonic sodium chloride, instillation of bicarbonate solutions, abundant alkaline drinking and taking Methylenum coeruleum;
• bloodletting and diuretics are indicated;
• in severe cases - repeated spinal taps, hemodialysis, oxygen, carbogen.

Separately, we note that the antidote is administered every 3-4 hours, and in addition to ethanol, 4-methylpyrazole and folic acid can be antidotes.

It is easier to treat chronic poisoning and it is carried out on an outpatient basis. It is necessary to ensure plenty of alkaline drinks mineral waters, taking calcium gluconate and placing drips with calcium chloride.

Possible consequences of poisoning

The occurrence of consequences after intoxication with methyl alcohol is inevitable even with timely first aid and a competent course of therapy. Persistent visual impairment occurs, and irreversible blindness may develop. They are plagued by migraines, polyneuritis, memory loss, gastrointestinal and liver problems. In some cases, complete loss of ability to work occurs.

As soon as humanity first discovered the state of alcoholic intoxication, from that very time on the number of deaths from various poisonings associated with alcohol-containing liquids began. During the existence of civilization, enough people have died from low-quality alcohol, especially over the last hundred years. And even more so, it is unclear why these days you should drink alcohol of dubious quality, when today you can choose a good alcoholic drink, knowing a few necessary conditions. And it’s not clear at all what people’s desire to continue to “suppress” alcohol is. But ethyl and methyl alcohol cannot be distinguished by eye. Therefore, we need to consider the problem: methyl alcohol, its harmful effects on the human body.

Without going into the wilds chemical analysis, it makes sense to emphasize that you cannot drink methyl alcohol, but you can drink ethyl alcohol. The last type of alcohol listed is drinkable and easily absorbed by the body. With methanol, the opposite is true. Even after consuming a dose of 50 grams of this substance, symptoms will appear. dangerous symptoms, and poisoning with methyl alcohol is guaranteed. In this example, not every antidote or urgent Care will help, that is, there is a high probability that the person will die.

Ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol have features that make it possible to distinguish them and draw appropriate conclusions whether to drink or not, but only if:

• iron container;
• copper wire;
• burners;
• other dishes;
• thermometer.

You won't have to drink or taste it. You need to pour a suspicious liquid into a container and heat it over a fire. Ethanol boils at 78°C, methanol at 64°C. Another way. Heat a copper wire and dip it into the substance. Ethyl alcohol emits a smell similar to the aroma of apples, methyl alcohol smells completely different - disgusting.

The effect of ethyl alcohol on the human body is not fatal. One can also say about it that it is lighter than water, quickly ignites and serves as an antiseptic. You will not need to drink the antidote, even if there are symptoms of body poisoning. It's different with methyl. Drinking a small amount of methyl alcohol, up to 30 grams, will, at best, lead to blindness. The lethal dose is 100 grams or more.

In extreme cases, an antidote or emergency care, as a rule, do not help, and the body dies. The main thing to remember is that methyl alcohol is poisonous to humans. Why and why is it so dangerous? Methanol consists of oil refinery waste, natural gas and coking coal. The formula of the substance is CH3OH. It quickly dissolves in water, other alcohols, benzene, and acetone. It was experimentally obtained by Jean Baptiste Dumas and Eugene Peligo from the products of dry distillation of wood.

Signs of poisoning

Methanol is also dangerous because it is a neurovascular poison and in frequent cases of poisoning, the antidote is usually useless due to the ensuing collapse with the development of oxygen deficiency and acidosis. It is strictly forbidden to drink it, and if a small amount of it enters the human body, we can talk about severe poisoning.

The lethal dose is different for everyone, but the danger lies in the fact that even after a minimal amount of methanol consumption, in most cases blindness or even death will occur.

The highly toxic product is used in industry and is not suitable for oral use. Often the human body is poisoned by this muck due to its own negligence, when ethyl and methyl alcohols are confused. Methyl alcohol is often used by clandestine mini-factories for the production of alcoholic beverages. If you drink such scorched vodka, then you can safely talk about serious poisoning.

The first signs and symptoms of poisoning can be observed 8 hours after drinking a toxic liquid. In some cases up to 72 hours. Early symptoms poisoning – dilated pupils, blurred vision. Other signs.

• Witness testimony that the victim drank some kind of liquid.
• Presence of a suspicious container.
• The smell of alcohol from a person's mouth.
• Behind a short time the body undergoes sharp changes moods: excitement, drowsiness.
• The victim's condition is expressed by drowsiness, which flows into unconsciousness.
• Nausea, vomiting, unsteady gait, abdominal pain.
• Tachycardia, convulsions, migraines.

In addition, double vision, pain in eyeballs, loss of vision up to complete blindness. Such symptoms clearly indicate human poisoning with methyl products. If such signs are present, emergency assistance is required.

Immediate hospitalization

Once in the stomach, the poison acts as a strong toxic substance. All tissues and organs of the body are affected. It disrupts metabolism and destroys cells. Since over 80% of all fluid is excreted through genitourinary system, it is she who is destroyed first of all. Essentially, the body short term, is subject to severe poisoning.

If a lethal dose is taken and the case is severe, the symptoms will be as follows:

• skin texture is blue;
• anxiety;
• strong painful sensations in the epigastric region;
• attacks of fear;
• unclear consciousness;
• feeling of tightness in the chest.

In the latter case, symptoms are not even observed - this is when the victim experiences loss of consciousness up to coma and fatal outcome. It is impossible to find an antidote for such poisoning at home. Only emergency medical care can save the unfortunate person.

First of all, doctors will try to remove methyl alcohol from the body, correct the functioning of the heart, kidneys, respiratory system, will direct efforts to combat acidosis. In fact, in every such case, the victim is admitted to a hospital, since only within the walls of the clinic can an appropriate antidote be selected. Emergency treatment is carried out in the intensive care unit or toxicology department.

At the hospital, they will rinse the gastrointestinal tract, prescribe plenty of fluids, and treat with alkalis. First aid for methyl alcohol poisoning at home is just drinking warm water in large quantities and inducing vomiting. It is not recommended to do anything else with the patient.

The clinic will also give you ethanol – it is considered an antidote. It will reduce methyl oxidation and the formation of toxic products. Take the antidote every four hours for several days at the rate of 0.5 ml per kilogram of weight. They may prescribe a 5% solution and glucose intravenously. The victim is also treated with other means: soy laxative through a tube, warming the body. Somatic substances can also be used against poisoning: Reopoliglucin, sodium bicarbonate, glucose (intravenously). Anti-convulsions: Sodium hydroxybutyrate with Unitilol, Piracetam. It is important to remember that methyl alcohol is so dangerous to humans that even after recovery, survivors become disabled for life.

Acute poisoning with methyl alcohol is one of the most dangerous and common poisonings. When compared with ethyl alcohol, the lethal concentration of methanol in the blood is only 100 ml of pure substance (for ethyl alcohol this figure is three times higher), and in some cases a lower concentration is required.

Excessive intake of methyl alcohol into the body has negative impact not only on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, but primarily the excretory system is negatively affected. Therefore, it is extremely important to act immediately to properly administer first aid in the event of this type of poisoning. The situation is complicated by the fact that it is easy to confuse methanol and ethyl poisoning, but this must be done to take action.

How to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol?

Methanol (methyl alcohol) refers to ethanol surrogates, which are inferior alcohol substitutes often used as alcoholic beverages. Methanol is a so-called false surrogate, which does not contain ethanol in its normal state, but also has a narcotic effect on the person who drinks it.

How to distinguish methyl alcohol from ethyl alcohol? Ethyl alcohol is a medical and food substance, that is, it is used to treat the skin, in some cases - internally. Methanol, on the contrary, is only technical alcohol; it is added to household chemicals and solvents, that is, this substance is not suitable for drinking.

It is impossible to distinguish ethyl alcohol from methyl alcohol by appearance! In terms of smell, color and taste, they are identical. Methanol has a slightly weaker odor, but only a professional can determine this. The difference can only be determined experimentally.

1. If you boil two liquids and then measure their boiling point, you can see that methyl liquid boils at a lower temperature - 64 ° C (the boiling point of ethanol is 78 ° C).
2. When ignited normally, ethanol has a blue flame, while methanol has a green flame.
3. The test with copper wire is most revealing. It needs to be heated over a fire and immersed in the liquid being tested. Methanol will have an unpleasant, pungent odor. Ethanol will give off a faint aroma of rotten apples.

Naturally, such experiments are rarely carried out by those who decide to drink this substance.

How does methyl alcohol work?

Poisoning not only appears immediately after consuming a prohibited substance, it also has a further detrimental effect on the body.

Almost instantly absorbed in the stomach, methanol turns into formaldehyde and formic acid, which in small concentrations have a toxic effect on all organ systems, blocking the functioning of cells and destroying them.

Since almost 90% of the total volume of the substance is excreted by the kidneys, the urinary system is immediately affected, which explains the danger of drinking alcohol even in small quantities.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract appear, the functioning of the nervous system is disrupted, and with a large amount of the substance ingested, death quickly occurs.

Symptoms of methyl alcohol poisoning

There are the following early signs methanol poisoning:

• dizziness and headache, impaired consciousness, flashing spots before the eyes;
• abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting;
• aggressiveness, which is replaced by stunning, rapid heartbeat, excessive salivation (hypersalivation), shortness of breath, an increase and then a decrease in pressure.

These are also the signs that acute poisoning methanol Late symptoms much heavier:

1. On the second or third day, if methanol is drunk in a small dose, pain appears in the head and legs, vision is impaired, and possible deterioration may even lead to the development of blindness.
2. Loss of consciousness.
3. Superficial alcoholic coma is characterized by hiccups, cessation of verbal contact, the skin becomes damp and cold, retching, voluntary urination and the appearance of floating movements of the eyeballs.
4. In case of development deep coma the pupils are dilated, the eyelids become swollen, the skin acquires a marbled tint, pain sensitivity disappears, breathing is impaired, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) and convulsions appear.
5. In severe cases, death can occur.

Emergency care for methanol poisoning

First aid for methanol poisoning consists of normalizing the functioning of breathing, kidneys and heart. Carry out these at home medical manipulations is impossible, therefore, in case of suspected methanol vapor poisoning, the victim should be immediately taken to the nearest medical facility.

In the first hours of the action of methanol on prehospital stage it is recommended not to give Activated carbon, since it will not have the required effect, since the substance is absorbed very quickly. The situation is more favorable if the person consumed fatty foods along with the toxic substance. Then the absorption slows down.

How to rinse the stomach if a person shows signs of methyl alcohol poisoning? Even before the arrival of specialized medical care You can rinse the stomach using the tubeless method. To do this, the victim is given 500–700 milliliters of warm water (and no other liquid), if the victim is a child, an isotonic solution of table salt is used. After this, vomiting is induced with a spatula or spoon, irritating the root of the tongue. This is the help that can be provided to the victim at home.

• 4-methylpyrazole intravenously;
• folic acid orally;
• 30% ethanol, which can be consumed intravenously or orally under medical supervision.

Treatment of methyl alcohol poisoning

Subsequent therapy takes place in toxicology or intensive care unit hospitals. For this use:

• through a probe - saline laxative, warm the body;
• use symptomatic substances: prescribe intravenously Reopoliglyukin, sodium bicarbonate, glucose;
• vitamins B, ATP, Riboxin, vitamin E are administered subcutaneously, Prednisolone, nicotinic acid;
• if a victim experiences convulsions due to methanol poisoning, Piracetam and sodium oxybutyrate with Unithiol are prescribed for treatment.

Consequences of methanol poisoning

Consumption of methyl and ethyl alcohol in large quantities can have long-term consequences. Among them are:

1. Syndrome prolonged compression. For the occurrence this symptom the victim must lie immobilized in a coma for at least 4 hours. Destruction occurs muscle tissue, which clogs the blood vessels of the kidneys and leads to disruption of their function.
2. One more negative consequence human poisoning with methyl alcohol is respiratory and cardiovascular failure due to the influence of alcohol on nervous system and post-coma.
3. Visual impairment of varying degrees.

Even a small amount of accidentally consumed methanol can lead to a deterioration in the functioning of all body systems. For such deterioration to occur, it is not at all necessary to drink two or three glasses of liquid; for some, only 30 milliliters of the substance may be enough. The lethal dose is no more than 100 ml. There is no need to experiment on your own body, because even people who survive most often become disabled.